St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-18

M\ - AI|$
Juoee LARs M.RAMe.
cheers, and delivered a very interesting
eulogy on the great subject of the day.
This vast number of Scandinavian
people here represented must afford sat
iSfactory proof to the observing public
that we have Il due appreciation for our
torefatherS' deed in the formation OF our
native lands form of government, Gus
tom and political events. Who doubts
our patriotism and respect for free. lib
eral and honest government, may turn
his observing eyes on these human faces
here assembled and will soon perceive
that we are all glowing with sympathy
and oy.and in common gratitude look
Submissively toward our forefatheTS,
memory in this suspicious temple OF
natures armament, manifesting that
this day on which our forefatherS de-
clared themselves free and independent
from the tyrannical king power, has
found its due consideration i'll our
minds. 1t has brought us to-
gether for the purpose of paying
honor. respect and tribute to
those heroes as soldiers, heroes rs states
men. who on the nth day of May. 1914,
made the final step toward the compile
ton of Il government. which at that
time throughout the whole of Europe
was recognized as the first among the
sons of men.
Fellow countrymen-If there he day
of remembrance with which the pages
of Norway'S history is graced that is fit
to affect the minds of men, this day and
its memory stands pre-eminently fore
most.
On this day the editice of our govern
ment was first lit up, whose radiance to-
day serves as guide and model in foreign
lands. On this day the constitution of
freedom was executed and promulgated.
The grandest and prOfoundeSt political
document that was ever signed by the
representatives of the Norwegian peo-
Pile. The profoundeSt document
are searched in vain for another dOcu
ment that has benefited SO numerous
down-trodden sons OF Norway. We all
iOin in one common sentiment that 1t
demonstrated the vast quantity OF cOur-
age and wisdom which our forefatherS
possessed. 1t was an open resistance
against the best guarded power exist
ing, by few weak men without leader,
destitute of wealth, destitute of expert
ence, destitute of all but courage and
wisdom. In their age who could have
shown more wisdom than they, when
they declared that ''every man is a man,
and no man is more Those words
were precious drops of dew falling Oh a
dry and parched desert; precious to
| them, my fellow countrymen, whose un-
| fortunate fate had been in the past to
kiss the footprints of their landlord
every time they saw them. Well did
| these words sound to them whose uaI-
fortunate lot it had been in the past to
| be compelled to salute a beast ill the
| shape of a human being, because he rode
horse or dressed himself in blue clothes
trimmed with shining buttons. By this
expressive desire for association of our
J fOrefatherS, their deeds, memories and
/ charScter. we to-day seem to belong to
| that liberty-lOving party who on this
day, 1914, at Eidsvald Norway, dumped
into Lake Mlosen the old idea which
| previous generations had believed and
| practiced. that mans body belonged
| to the tyranical king and his soul to the
| priest, who on this day took the adj
vanced step for self-gOvernment, free
dom and liberty, which these United
| States of America, glorious America,
| the land of our adoption, took on the
4th day of July, 1116. 1t was on this
day that our forefathers completed their
! inquiry. as to what rights the king had
over them. They began to search for
the character of his authority. They
to the rock upon which SOci-
ETY. and government must be
founded, and when they got
down there-forced their against
their former ideas and education, they
found at the bottom of things, not lords,
not kings, not mOnarchS, not thrones,
but humanity. equality and the rights of
men and Self-gOvernment. Nature, rea-
son and experience were their teachers,
and history discloses the fact that they
loved all things natural. When they
were denied those privileges which the
! law of nature entitled them to, then
manhood and said: 1--WE are men; we
will be free menu And acting as they
did upon such resolutions. the repre-
sentative of the Norwegian people
signed that profound political document
| known as the constitution of Norway
For such deed we are here to-day to
pay our respects. We thank them fol
their wisdom. We thank them for theil
courage and patriotism. We thank them
for the confidence which they
possessed in themselves and the people
of our mother country. We thank them
for what we have received-for what
| lllty SulIcItU anu WIldU we nave cllJOyct
The spirit of Individual liberty slum
bered in the deep daleS and dark forests
of Norway until our forefatherS on this
day, one by 0ne,Sprang up like glimmer
ing beacon lights in the awful waste of al
oppressed mankind, and made Norway
free. Happy Norway! The lightning:
of heaven yielded to the philosophy o
your sons.
The temptations of earth could no
reduce their patriotism, and of all oul
great and courageous SONS none are lik,
those 18th of May heroes, which made
Norway free and independent.
''Grand old heroes with patriotism sublime,
Whose distant footsteps echo down the CORR
doris of time
Tell me, thou never-eiring chronicle
of the past, what man connected witt
the history of Norway is it that has de
scended to the depths Of reason and 81
nearly tlOated level with the heights o
thought as John Sverdrup? He ha
made it possible for every man in Nor
way to write over the door of his mag
niticent palace ~ his humble cottag
the three grandest words known in tn
language OF. men: Liberty, equalit
and peace.
How shall we rank Johan Sverdrup O
glorys page!
Thou more than reformer and just less tina
sage,
All thou hast been reflects less fame O
thee,
, For less than thou has forborne to he 81